Derailment Forces Evacuation Of South Side Homes

Propane Tank Car Flips But Doesn't Leak

April 29, 1997|By William Recktenwald, Tribune Staff Writer.

Residents of several dozen homes in the South Side's Ashburn neighborhood were evacuated briefly Tuesday after two railroad tank cars, one filled with propane, derailed near Western Avenue and 73th Street.

Chicago firefighters were called to the switchyard of the Norfolk Southern Railway at 2600 W. Columbus Ave. just before 4 a.m., said acting Fire Commissioner Edward Altman.

"When our initial fire companies arrived they saw two tank cars on their sides," Altman said. "It was determined that one was empty, while the second was full of liquid propane.

"We vacated the area, because throughout the United States there have been severe explosions in such cases," Altman said. Two cranes brought in from Indiana and two from Bedford Park were used to right the cars.

Although the car containing nearly 70,000 pounds of propane had a large rip in its outer skin, it never leaked, Altman said. The integrity of the tank remained because the 3/4-inch-thick inner skin was not damaged.

"There was a similar situation on Oklahoma (some years ago) where the tank exploded and it killed about 20 people," Altman said. "There is a potential for a disaster."

Trains on Metra's Southwest service, which uses the Norfolk Southern tracks in the area, continued to run very close to schedule, said Tom Miller, Metra spokesman. Some 38 passengers on the 9:05 a.m. train from Orland Park were bused from the Ashburn Station to the Loop, arriving about 30 minutes late.

About 10 a.m., after the tank cars were placed back on the tracks, residents were allowed to return to their homes and traffic in the area returned to normal.

Norfolk Southern officials are investigating the cause of the derailment.